Austin360 blogs > Almost Urban > Archives > 2007 > June > 26 > Entry
‘Making the Band 4’ this time with man tears
This week’s show begins with Puffy reviewing footage of the audition outtakes, including some of the less compelling moments from our finalists. Diddy assures us we shouldn’t sweat the boys’ shortcomings, as what we are seeing now is just “20 molds of clay.”
“Believe me,” he confides, “I’ve worked with worse.” Oh, we know, Puffy.
After a new flashy graphic intro that incorporates the faces of our young crooners, we open onto a scene of the guys entering into the multimillion-dollar NYC crib that will be their home for the duration of the show. It’s a glamorous setup, with a chandelier-lit piano, a state-of-the art weight room and extensive lounge areas with murals of famous R&B singers that will provide lovely set dressing for the backroom conflicts that will surely start brewing very soon. The boys run around like little kids.
One by one, we start to get snippets of background information on some of our boys. Spiky-haired Dan, who auditioned in Orlando, is actually a wedding singer from Boston. Lion-hearted young Julius was recently bagging up groceries at the Piggly Wiggly, and Brian A., one of two H-town crooners who made the cut, used to work at a doggie day care. Awww …
Also, Qwanell from Rochester is only 18, Carlos from New York used to be homeless, living on trains, and Donnie, well, I can’t remember what Donnie said, because I was too distracted by the Lee Hotti-ness of his hair. (What exactly is up with the white boys and their hair gel? Is that an East Coast thing?)
Michael Bivens welcomes the guys to the house and hips them to the game plan. There are going to be three main areas of focus to their training: physical conditioning, choreography and vocal coaching. In addition, the boys will break into groups of four and work as teams to compete against each other, setting up a surefire recipe for infighting and ego clashes. At the end, they’ll do a performance at some sort of publicity stunt open mic thing.
First, the boys are shuttled off to Amie, the fitness trainer, who weighs them in. The scrawny dudes looking to beef up a little are quickly shuffled over, and focus falls on big-boned Dan. He was 221 before the competition and now weighs in at 209. He discusses his goal to drop at least 10 more pounds. As the camera shifts off Dan’s earnest face, a flatulent-sounding tuba line picks up as an undignified intro for Michael, the true big boy of the group. Michael weighs in at 278. He’d like to drop down to 228.
Amie launches into a series of rigorous training drills. Brian, our boy from Houston, says he’s never felt pain like this, and Dyshon starts to give out halfway through the workout and ends up being carried out in an ambulance. Apparently, it was because he didn’t eat enough in the morning.
Next, it’s on to choreographer Laurie Ann, who’s decked out in an electric blue leotard, black fishnets and, um, arm warmers. She’s clearly reveling in some strange dance dominatrix fantasy. She takes the young men through a grueling ballet barre to warm up and then leads them through choreographed routines, alternately slouching sexily between them and actively taunting the boys. Chris, who can’t sing but is a great dancer, shines, and Laurie Ann cheers him on heartily. Dan, on the other hand, gets called out: “Oh, boy, white boy in the mix!” Of course, this gives our sensitive husky boy a complex, which we’ll surely be dealing with for many episodes to come.
Next, we’re given a few snippets of downtime during which the boys engage in a snowball fight, Dan combs the streets of NYC looking for a salad, and Michael demonstrates his grilled cheese technique (which includes much butter).
Then, cue the grand entrance music; it’s a surprise visit from Diddy. Puffy congratulates the boys on their progress but warns he’s going to turn it up a notch. He grandiosely points out that Danity Kane is “living the dream,” and these boys must “rise up to their level.” Everyone has the good sense to not crack a smile.
One by one, the guys introduce themselves and are assessed by Diddy. Chris, the dancer, is warned about his mediocre song stylings, Dan is given props on the weight loss, and Michael is berated for being the big dude.
Michael Bivins takes over, and the boys are split into quartets. He warns them not to get too attached to their partners, because cats are going to be cut. He then remarks on big boy Michael’s weight, at which point Diddy suddenly pops back into the conversation, and Michael gets busted for his love of buttery grilled cheese, which Diddy apparently observed through the video monitors. Diddy cracks on him hard, and while I get that you’ve got to be in shape to be in a boy band, it does strike me as a little ironic. Diddy, after all, rose to fame himself on the coattails of a very (might we say Notoriously) big man.
In a brief segment, we find Dan alone on the phone with his moms. He’s feeling alienated by his whiteness. He talks about his different kind of soul. Dan’s honest and hardworking, and I like his heart, but I have a feeling he’s going to start to get whiny before this is all over.
In the group rehearsals, it comes out that Dan has always been the lead of his various groups, and he’s not used to taking criticism. His fellow quartet members struggle with him on some communication stuff, but they seem to work it out.
Continuing the emotional revelations section of the show, we find dancer Chris on with his mom too. Mom tells him not to keep saying he’s the worst singer, because he’s setting himself up. Only, sorry, Mom, in this case it’s really true.
The show closes with the boys singing a capella for Ankh Ra.
As Chris struggles with his insecurity about his weak singing voice, Ankh Ra tries to get him to feel the emotion of his song. When he admits to snapping his fingers to cover his pain, Ankh Ra tells Chris he wants him to feel the pain. Ankh Ra coaxes Chris through a heart-tugging tale of the death of his grandfather, and Chris isn’t the only one who’s shed a few quiet manly tears by the time he’s done. At the end of the revelation, however, there is no triumphant song from Chris. He instead gets a hug from Ankh Ra.
Dan is similarly shut down by Ankh Ra, but instead of tragedy and loss, he talks about winning his girl and learns to sing glowingly from the heart.
As we fade out of this, ahem, touching sequence with Ankh Ra’s words of wisdom about emotional breakthroughs and becoming the vehicle of emotions, I realize no one’s getting cut on this episode. Or popped in the face even. Crap. Maybe next time.
A quick side note:
In addition to pooch-sitter Brian A., there’s one other Houstonite in the mix on “MTB4.” His name is Anceo, but other than a brief admission that he snarfed one of Michael’s tasty grilled cheese sandwiches, he didn’t get any face time at all this episode, which I’m taking as a cue to not get too attached.
- Episode 8 recap
- Episode 7 recap
- Episode 6 recap
- Episode 5 recap
- Episode 4 recap
- Episode 3 recap
- Episode 2 recap
- Episode 1 recap
Comments
By Thomas
June 28, 2007 12:45 AM | Link to this
Deborah responds below
Ankh Ra is like a cross between Yoda and Kareem Abdul Jabbar…by far the coolest cat on the show. I need some of his vegetarian dashiki-wearin’ wisdom in my life.
Deborah responds: Funny, my husband said almost the same thing. That whole love fest at the end of the show was a little much for me though.
By tyra riley
June 28, 2007 2:00 PM | Link to this
i just want to be able to contact julius from making the band 4 thats all i want…does he have a myspace profile? facebook….anything i just want to contact him….
By John
June 30, 2007 11:56 AM | Link to this
Hey i was just wondering what the name of the song dan was singing at the end, i know they said it but i didnt catch it.
By Yesenia
July 2, 2007 11:25 AM | Link to this
i love donnie i thought i just saw god when i first saw him :DDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
By [[♥LiiZ]]
July 2, 2007 3:35 PM | Link to this
ii LOVE JULiiUS, ii AM BEHiiND YOO ALL OF THE WAY BABY!!
By Jess
July 2, 2007 7:06 PM | Link to this
donnie is the besttttt<3
-the song dan was singing is ‘if i ever fall in love’ by shai
-julius’ myspace link is: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=125960121
By Kiandra
July 3, 2007 12:19 PM | Link to this
What is Carlos’s last name?
By Kiandra
July 3, 2007 12:27 PM | Link to this
Also, hey; I thought the [previously named] “Puffy” has preferred to be called “DIDDY” since about 2 years ago. I’m just being politically correct ;-) I noticed that Loreanne also called him puffy in one of the clips. it was kinda funny.
By trinnnnaa.
July 5, 2007 4:05 AM | Link to this
what is donnies`last name ?
By shaniqua
July 6, 2007 8:38 PM | Link to this
AWWW..I FEEL SO BAD FOR CARLOS..HES BEEN THROUGH SOO MUCH!! SLEEPING ON BENCHES AND EVERYTHING..I REALLY HOPE HE MAKES IT WITH HIS KUTE SELF..
By denise
July 6, 2007 9:52 PM | Link to this
Julius is the best i love him …
By megan
July 9, 2007 10:45 AM | Link to this
i love chris!! he is fine and he can dance! he may not be the strongest singer, but i have faith! i love julius 2. he can sing also.